THE GALAXY OF GURUS

Submitted by bhawani on Fri, 2007-01-05 18:23. Kerala

Kathakali as an art form has been blessed with an array of legendary Gurus who excelled in their performances and groomed future generations as torch bearers of the tradition. The Gurus left their mark on the roles they essayed and some of the performances regarded as piece de resistance have not been bettered to this day.

Guru Kunchu Kurup who was invited to head the Kerala Kalamandalam in its early days was known for his penchant for pacha and kathi roles. A handsome figure in his masterpiece vesham, he made an impression even in minukku veshams like Kuchelan and the Brahmanan in Santhanagopalam. To him goes the credit of having trained the first Kathakali troupe that went on a performance tour to the United States.

Another legend of Kathakali was Pattikamthodi Ramunni Menon. Ridiculed for his lack of expression, in his early years, he was unwilling to be put down. He persevered and at the age of eighteen, became a kathakali asan. Graduating from the minor role to the major veshams, Pattikaamtodi’s rich experience was put to use in Kalamandalam and an array of future artistes like Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair were his students.

Foremost among the Kathakali masters was Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair who was competent to present any character. Known for his impeccable exposition of rasas, endowing beauty and depth with the fleeting facial expressions, his performance appealed to both the aesthete and the layman. An eclectic, he took the best from gurus like Pattikamthodi, Kavalapara Narayanan Nair and Kunchu Kurup and put a stamp of his individuality on the style of his masters. This fine blend was further enriched by the training he received under ace Koodiyattam artiste Mani Madhava Chakyar.

A representative of the Kalluvazhi tradition, Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair gave importance to the bhava rasa (expressive moods) in cholliyattam where an artiste rehearses sans costume. In fact, the heavy make-up and costume make it necessary that cholliyattom is vigorous so that when the artist performs with all the accoutrements, the burden of their weight does not slow down the movements significantly. Perfecting selected roles, he gave matchless performances.

Extolled as the foremost interpreter of plays that are characterized by rigid grammar and choreography, every movement by Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair underlines the tenets of the Kalluvazhi tradition. His name is associated with arrogant, valorous characters like Ravana, Duryodhana, Narakasura and Keechaka. He set standards for kathi and thadi veshams which serve as yardsticks to evaluate later performers. The ashtakalaasam, the blissful dance of Krishna and Balabhadra in Subhadraharanam was his contribution.

An artiste who has the rare ability to give the vesham a new look every time he performs it, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair trained under the Pattikamthodi tradition which is a blend of Kadathanadan, Kalladikodan and Kaplingadan. Hanuman in Kalyanasougandhikam is a role that he receives encomiums for.

Kathakali as performing art gives importance to powerful heroes but one cannot ignore the ‘Queen of Kathakali’, Kottakkal Sivaraman who has carved a niche by endowing the sthriveshams with greater presence on stage. Conventionally, the woman had precious little to enact but a glance, a coy look or a quiver on the lips. He changed the role of the woman from a passive recipient of the sringara abhinaya of the hero to a reciprocal and emotionally responsive heroine.

A master in essaying both pacha and kathi veshams, Vasu Pisharadi trained under the Vazhenkada Kunchu Kurup and was formally groomed at the Kerala Kalamandalam. His most significant efforts at choreography include Sri Krishna Leela and Ravanaputri.

Lending new dimension to his portrayals by incorporating fresh nuances in his performance, Kalamandalam Gopi has the ability to straddle the rigid structure demanded by the performance manual but in extended performance, his input enhances the quality. Known for his pacha veshams, and for keeping pace with the rhythms, and emoting beautifully, Gopi carries off all roles, be it as Karnan in Karnasapatham, Nalan in Nalacharitham or Brihan in Uttaraswayamvaram ensuring that his performance is outstanding and like none other.

Among the younger performers is Ettumanoor Kannan, trained under Vasu Pisharodi. Known for his versatile Roudrabheeman, he has a stage presence, clarity in mudra expositions and exemplary bhava abhinaya, all making for a riveting performance. Kannan is representatrive of a generation that tries to cope with technological advances that are fast overtaking the traditional art forms. Among the efforts include the adaptation of Shakespearean characters to Kathakali format.

For the Kathakali fan it is the conventional format with few compromises that hold appeal and therefore as long as there are asans who are dedicated and shun dilution, Kathakali will continue to provide the world with seasoned performances by disciplined and dedicated artistes.
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